even for the average Joe.
I created jOeCHEM because I truly believe anyone can succeed at Organic Chemistry. Is OChem challenging? Yeah, it is. But that does NOT mean we should shy away from it. We just need to work diligently and smartly, and I promise you'll find yourself atop Mt. Carbon before you know it.
I believe jOeCHEM explains things simply, breaking organic concepts down. Once we have something down and understand it well, then we tackle example after example until you're a master. But don't take my word for it: Listen to the brave jOeCHEMists who have come before you.
Kelsey Hake, PharmD
University of Pittsburgh
School of Pharmacy | Class of 2019
"If Bill Nye the Science Guy had a son, it would most definitely be jOeCHEM. Buckle up for some knowledge and laughs. I wouldn't have survived OChem without Joe!"
Chloe Saba, OMS-III
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
"I am undoubtedly one of jOeCHEM's biggest fans; I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am for Joe and his brains/patience/support! My story is a little untraditional... (and kind of hope it helps some people out)-- I am currently a third year medical student, but school wasn't always a breeze! I took OChem 1 my sophomore year of college and though I passed the course, I didn't do too hot. In fact, I was so worried that this was going to be the end of my road to medical school. I was super discouraged, but decided to retake the course in hopes of doing better.
Luckily enough for me, I was friends with Joe at Pitt and with his encouragement, incredible knowledge of OChem, and (many) hours of his time and patience spent on me, I was able to pass with flying colors. I went on to OChem 2 and with the help of Joe, was able to easily understand the material and also pass without question. When Joe teaches, things make sense. It was wild to me that though we were in the same grade, his knowledge was higher than that of most professors.
I went from a kid who felt like she was merely drawing shapes for hours to an eventual OChem UTA myself. I have never done so poorly in a class, and if it wasn't for Joe, I honestly could say I might not be sitting in front of you at the end of my third year in medical school, beginning to prepare for residency. Seriously! If you find yourself struggling like I did, DON'T GIVE UP! The most valuable resource is right here in front of you, and he wants to help! There is no doubt in my mind you can crush OChem and Joe can help you, too! Thank you Joe for everything-- you are one of a kind!"
Dylan Ahrens, PharmD
University of Pittsburgh
School of Pharmacy | Class of 2018
"Joe and I took OChem II together, and I got an A in the class, which I credit a great deal to him. He knows what is going to be on exams and genuinely loves helping people out."
Vincent Leahey, J.D. Candidate
University of Florida
Levin College of Law | Class of 2021
"Although I took Organic Chemistry before the brilliance that is jOeCHEM had hatched, I was lucky enough to have Joe as my tutor. Joe has an incredible knack for boiling down an immensely complex subject into bite-sized, understandable pieces, and I learned far more from him than I did in any classroom. I'm not sure I would have passed organic, let alone come close to the grade I desired, if not for Joe. Dare I say he even made chemistry...fun?"
Daniel Blabolil, J.D.
Temple University
Beasley School of Law | Class of 2020
"I struggled getting through Organic Chemistry largely because my strategy was to memorize the material without truly understanding it. I tried the memorization route again during the first couple weeks of Organic Chemistry II but quickly realized that it would not bode well for me if I stuck with it. I knew that I needed to actually understand the information... but I was having trouble grasping the concepts I was trying to learn.
Then, I started working with Joe, and BOOM. I hit the organic jackpot! Once Joe started to tutor me, I began to really understand the concepts I was trying to learn on my own. OChem went from being my worst nightmare to being a class that I truly found interesting and engaging. It is easy to see that Joe completely understands Organic Chemistry. He is able to teach it to others in an incredibly effective way. In my opinion, Joe’s greatest strength is the patience and personal investment he brings when he works with any student.
You can tell he genuinely cares about the people he teaches. Additionally, Joe teaches in a non-condescending way. I highly recommend Joe as your OChem remedy. I wish I had went to him from the moment I enrolled in OChem."
Katarina Klett
Stanford University
Doctoral Candidate | Heilshorn Biomaterials Group
Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
“Despite being a chemical engineering student, I struggled early on to conquer what seemed to be impossible: Organic Chemistry. Joe was always willing to help me grasp the course fundamentals and ultimately helped me build the confidence I needed to be successful in the class. I continue to apply those fundamentals as I pursue a doctoral degree in a group that uses Organic Chemistry daily to develop biomaterials."
Emily Willoch
NC State University
College of Veterinary Medicine | Class of 2023
"With jOeCHEM, I went from failing Organic Chemistry exams to getting A+s on them. Joe does a great job at teaching challenging material in an easy to understand and fun manner!"
Lauren Zacharias
Arcadia University
Physician Assistant Program | Class of 2022
“Organic chemistry can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. In my experience, Joe is THE best resource out of every website, video, textbook, and study tool there is. You will not regret using jOeCHEM. In simple terms, jOeCHEM is the reason I passed OChem II... Before I knew of jOeCHEM, I failed OChem I once, and the second time barely passed with a B-. I was terrified to take the second part of the course, and almost considered changing my major to avoid having to take it. I felt discouraged and questioned whether my goal of working in healthcare was attainable -- all because of Organic Chemistry.
But then I discovered jOeCHEM. Joe teachess OChem in a simple, yet thorough way, helping you put the pieces together to understand the fundamentals of the course. I found that after working with Joe, I actually enjoyed doing practice problems. Everything clicked, and rather than trying to mindlessly memorize formulas and structures, it actually made sense in my head -- because Joe teaches material in a way that makes it easy for students to understand.
With the help of Joe, I passed OChem II with an A, and even went on to declare a minor in chemistry."
Alex Weinstein
Boston University
School of Dental Medicine | Class of 2022
"I knew for myself, success in Organic Chemistry was going to be essential in reaching my career goals. Not only did jOeCHEM help me pass Organic Chemistry, but it single handedly provided me with all the tools I needed to excel in the course.
Joe has the ability to explain difficult concepts clearly and concisely, and I could not thank him enough for it. I strongly recommend jOeCHEM to every student who is taking Organic Chemistry. Thank you Joe!"
Sam Heintschel
Ohio State University
College of Pharmacy | Class of 2024
“jOeCHEM turns a daunting subject into a clear-cut and achievable skill. jOeCHEM inspired me to become more passionate about Organic Chemistry, significantly contributed to my success in both courses, and as an added bonus he made me laugh along the way!"
Brock Salvatore
University of Pittsburgh
Microbiology Major | Class of 2022
"jOeCHEM single-handedly taught me OChem. I found myself pumping my fists in nerdy excitement at Hillman Library doing Joe's worksheets because I actually got it. Joe: You're the man. Thank you a million!"
Rachel Tuschak
Drexel University
Physician's Assistant Program | Class of 2021
“Joe was an amazing tutor. He was able to explain difficult concepts into more simpler terms and had catchy ways to remember the material. He was more than willing to be flexible with my schedule, and he was always encouraging me to feel confident in the material that I mastered with his help. He is 100% the reason why I got an A in OChem!"
Mia Knavish
University of Pittsburgh
School of Dental Medicine | Class of 2024
"To say the least, jOeCHEM was my absolute life saver when taking Organic Chemistry! His style of teaching and personality make it fun to learn, and his worksheets were extremely helpful to really learn even the toughest concepts."
Michelle Navid
Ohio State University
Pharmaceutical Sciences Major | Class of 2021
"I truly don’t think I would have passed Organic Chemistry without jOeCHEM. I took both semesters of OChem within a 10 week period, so my professors went super fast and did not do a good job of explaining